The right time to Increase De Beers stake: Botswana’s mines minister

Botswana’s mines minister Bogolo Kenewendo says it’s “absolutely” the right time to discuss the government increasing its 15 per cent stake in De Beers.

Published

1 year ago

February 11, 2025

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She indicated that Anglo American, which owns the other 85 per cent of De Beers, was moving closer to an initial public offering (IPO) and that Botswana was pushing for a larger stake.

Anglo announced last week that it was likely to write down the value of De Beers from its current $7.6bn, as a result of persistent weak diamond demand, especially in China.

Botswana’s diamond, which accounts for over 70 per cent of the country’s export earnings, has been severely hit by the global slump in demand.

In the last nine months of 2024 Debswana – its 50/50 joint venture with De Beers it sold $1.53bn of rough, down 52 per cent on the same period in 2023.

De Beers Sale Nearing Final Stage: Al Cook

Potential Buyers Are Understood To Include A Consortium Comprising African Governments and Private-Sector Investors

Published

10 hours ago

June 20, 2026

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The long-awaited sale of De Beers appears to be entering its final phase, with Chief Executive Officer Al Cook indicating that a transaction could be completed within weeks.

Cook said the divestiture process is “closer than it has ever been” and expressed confidence that a deal would be concluded sooner rather than later.

According to Cook, negotiations have been extensive and the process has now reached a critical stage. Potential buyers are understood to include a consortium comprising African governments and private-sector investors.

Botswana, which currently holds a 15 percent stake in De Beers, has shown interest in increasing its participation, alongside Angola and Namibia. Several commercially focused investment groups are also reportedly evaluating opportunities.

The sale comes as De Beers continues to grapple with challenging market conditions. Weak global demand for natural diamonds has prompted cost-cutting measures, including plans to reduce annual overheads by approximately $100 million. Parent company Anglo American has repeatedly written down the value of the diamond business amid declining sales and rising inventories.

According to Anglo American’s 2025 financial report released in February 2026, De Beers’ enterprise value has fallen to $2.3 billion, a sharp decline from $9.2 billion in 2023.